Aerial-ladder truck.



C. N. RICHARDSON.

AERIAL LADDER TRUCK.

APPLICATION fH-[UJULY 1. I915- 1,197.151. PatentedSept. 5,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. N. RICHARDSON. AERIAL LADDER TRUCK. Amlcmpn mm mu 1'. ms.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

BY/gL/ K? CHARLES H. RICHARDSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AERIAL-LADDER TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application filed July 1, 1915. Serial No. 37,567.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

lie it known that 1, CHARLES N. RICHARD- mm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Aerial- Ladder Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fire-a paratus such as aerial-ladder trucks an watertowcrs and consists of im rovements in the mechanism for elevating t 10 ladder or tower and for controlling its operation.

The object of my improvement is to simplify the construction and increase the elli ciency of the ladder-raising mechanism and to provide a more convenient and readily ac cessihle means for controlling its action. To this end I have devised a novel arrangement of manually-operable mechanism for locking the ladder in its lowered position and for releasing it therefrom; an improved controlling-means or friction-brake for regulating the elevation of the ladder and a more easily and conveniently operated mechanism for adjusting or turning the ladder in its raised msition on the truck.

The invention is full described in the following specification, ilustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts.

In the drawingsz-Figure 1 is an elevation of the forward end of an aerial-ladder truck showing my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, a plan view of the turntable and elevating mechanism for the ladder; Fig. 3, a sectional, detail view of the rollerbearings for the turntable; and Figs. 4 and 5, detail views of the friction-controlling means for the ladder.

Referring first to Fig. 1, F represents the frame of the truck which is constructed with horizontal side-sillsf mounted on the runnin -gear G and min )tcd to support the lad or turntable T at the forward end. One improvement in my present construction consists in mounting t 1e circular turntable T on roller-bearings as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. Preferably, the rollers i, R, etc., are of tapered form arranged to run on the inclined raceway b in a recess of the bearing-ring B which is secured to the top of the framesillsj, f. The ends of the rollers R are provide with pintles 1', r seated .in hearings in two opposite, concentric rings R, R which act as a separating means therefor as shown in Fig. 2. The turntable-ring '1 also has an inclined, recessed face it which bears on top of the rollers R, and a retaining-ring '1" is secured to its periphery and has a ledge 25' abutting the shoulder b on the under side of the bearingring B, see Fig. 3, to hold the turntable in place.

Formed on the under side of the ring T is a toothed ruck i through which the turntable is rotated from manually operated means as next described: Mounted to turn in a hearing it on a cross-strut f extending between the sills f, f is a horizontal shaft 11 journaled at its opposite end in a yoke Y. The yoke Y is mounted on a cross-shaft J journaled in bearings on the side-sills f', f, see Fig. 2. The shaft J carries a bevelear 7' meshing with a similar gear j on the s iaft H, and the latter carries a gear 1:. which en gages with the rack t on the turntable '1, see Fig. l. Mounted on the ends of the shaft J are two hand-wheels J, J provided with crank-handles j, j*. Through this means the operator can stand on the ground, at the side of the truck, and rotate the turntable '1 about its axis to adjust the position of the ladder L carried thereby.

Referring again to Fig. l, the ladder L is pivotally mounted at its heel or lower end on a cross-shaft 6 supported in bearings at the top of two vertical side-frames or standards K which are mounted on the turntable T. Secured to the legs of the ladder I. outwardly beyond the shaft 1 are two trusslike frames or braces 1), l The braces l) are preferably of V-shapc with the ends of their legs (1, d bolted to the ladder L and connected by a cross-strut (1 to give them greater strength and rigidity. Secured to the top of the turntable '1 beneath the ladder L are two horizontally-urrangcd cylinders C, U, in which are. slulably mounted a pair of plungers l, l. lietwecn the ends of the cylinders O, U and the plungers i, P are compression-springs S, b which tend to force the plungers in the direction indicated by the arrow m, Fig. 2. For this purpose I preferably employ a plurality of helical springs in each cylinder, one coiled within another as shown. The outer ends of the plungers P, l are connected by a transverse rod or shaft M which extends across the top of the frame-sills f, f. Hinged on the ends of the shaft M are two connecting-rods N, N which are pivotally connected at their oppolOO site ends to the apexes of the frames or braces D, 1). Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the studs 11,, n which connect the rods N with the braces D are arranged with their ends projecting on the outside to adapt them to be engaged by the hooked ends of lockinglevcrs O, O. The levers O, O are constructed in the form of bell-cranks pivoted on brackets 0, 0, and having their operating arms 0, 0' connected by rods u, u to two levels U U at the forward end of the truck, see Fig. 'lhe levers U, U are mounted on a cross-shaft u journaled in brackets u, n, which are seemed to the ends of the cylinders (I, C and connected with the brackets 0, o by means of brace-rods 0'-', 0 One of the levers U is provided with a handle u through which it can be operated to rock the shaft u and thereby move the other lever U whereby the hellcrank-lerers O, may be raised to release their hooks from the studs '21, 22.. When the detent-means for the studs 11, a are thus released, the springs S, S will act to force the plungers P, P outwardly in their casings or cylinders C, C, and through their connecting-rods N, N will operate on the braces D, D to raise the ladder L into vertical position.

To control the upward movement of the ladder L under the action of the springs S, S, I provide a friction ln'aking-mechanism arranged as follows: Mounted on the pivot shaft Z and bolted to the side of the ladder L is a. flanged disk or brake-drum V protected by a cover-plate V, see Figs. 4 and 5. Pivotally connected to the side-frames K by means of a stud or bolt '11 are two segmental brake-shoes o, 12' adapted to engage the inner face of the rim of the drum V. Referring particularly to Fig. 5, a coiled sprin 7: acts to draw the shoes 1), '1) toward eac other to release them from engagement with the drum, while a cam or eccentric 'v is arranged to operate upon their free ends to force them into contact with the flange on the drum. The eccentric 'v is carried at the end of a shaft 1; journaled in a bearing at the top of the frame K and operated from a hand-lever V mounted thereon. \Vhen the ladder L is raised by the action of the springs S, S, its movement may be retarded or arrested at the will of the operator by simply rocking the lever V to bring the bra ce-shoes 'u, 1: into contact with the drum V. It is to be understood that the pivotshaft Z is secured rotativel to the ladder L and at the top of its bearing in one of the side-frames Ix is a set-screw a adapted to be operated from a hand-bar a to bind it against the shaft 1. In this way the ladder may be locked in its elevated position so that the brake-lever V can be released after the upward movement of the ladder has been arrested. 1

For lowering the ladder into its normal position on the truck I provide the improved and simplified mechanism as next described: A screw-threaded shaft W is journaled in end-bearings w, w fixedly secured to the turntable T between the cylinders C, C, and mounted to travel thereon is a threaded nut or sleeve W. Connecting the bearings w, w is a longitudinal tension-rod or brace 10' arranged above the screw W. The sleeve W is provided with oppositelyprojecting trunnions w", 'w on its sides on which are mounted connecting-rods w, w secured at theiropposite ends to the plunger cross-shaft M. At its forward end t e shaft W carries a bevel-gear w adapted to be engaged by two bevel-pinions z, 2 carried at the ends of shafts .2, .2. The shafts 2', 2' are slidably mounted in bearings 2", z" to adapt their pinions z, a to be carried into mesh with the gear w and suitable springplungers 2, 2 in the bearings 2 are arranged to engage grooves z, 2 in the shafts to maintain the gears in engaged relation. Mounted on the outer ends of the shafts z, z are crank-handles Z, Z through which the gears z, 2 may be rotated to turn the screw W. When the plungers P, P are being forced outwardly in their cylinders C, C, the gears w and z, z are disengaged to allow the shaft \V to rotate freely under the action of the nut W as it slides thereon. When, however it is desired to lower the ladder against the action of the springs, the gears 20 and 2, z are carried into mesh and by turning the cranks Z the shaft W is rotated to draw back the nut W to retract the plungers P, P and compress the sprin s S, S. In this manner the ladder is readi and easily lowered into place on the true and the plungers returned to their initial position where they are locked by the detent-levers O, 0, until released to elevate the ladder again as before described.

It will be seen that my improved ladderoperating and controlling-mechanism is most compact in arrangement and stanch in structure, besides being especially easy of access and convenient to operate. All of the power-operated elements of the mechanism are securely and firmly mounted on the turntable base and so arranged as to provide a minimum of swiveled joints and connections. Furthermore, the elevating means are so connected to the ladder as to give the maximum power exerted with a direct lifting force in elevating it and arranged to act as a rigid brace and support in holding the ladder in position and lowering it into place. Through this improved arrangement of the lifting struts or braces all danger of buckling the pivot-shaft of the ladder is removed and ess friction is exerted on the bearings of the shaft. In addition, the loweringscrew is firmly supported in fixed bearings in direct alinement with the power pistons 1 while bein allowed free rotative movement, when freed from the operatin cranks, during the elevation of the lad er. My improvement also grovides positive lockingmechanism for t e elevating-means so arranged as to be easily accessible to the operator from a position on the ground and the controlling-means and ladder-turning device are likewise as easy and convenient to operate.

I am aware that it is old in the art to employ spring-o erated power-means for elevating aerialadders or water-towers into position on their trucks. It is to be understood, therefore, that I do not here claim such means broadly, but what I desire to obtain patent protection for is the im roved and novel arrangement of the mec anism described whereby more compactness, increased efiiciency, and greater convenience of operation of the mechanism is secured.

Various modifications might be made in the form and construction of the parts of my improved device without departing from the spirit or scope of the invent on.

Therefore, without limiting myself to the exact embodiment shown and described, what I claim is 1. In an aerial ladder-truck, the combination with a truck-frame F, of a turntable T rotatably mounted on said frame, upright side-frames K supported on the turntable, a horizontal shaft Z carried by said frames, a ladder L pivoted at its heel on said shaft, V-slmpcd braces D formed with angularly disposed legs at having their u per diver ent ends rigidly secured to the si es of the ad- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe der and their opposite lower ends joined together at the apex of the braces, both legs of each brace being secured to the ladder on the same side of its dpivot shaft Z, stationary cylinders C fastene to the top of the turntable, pistons P slidably mounted in the cylinders, 5 rings S in the cylinders for operating t e pistons, connecting-rods N connecting the ends of the pistons and the apexes of the V-shaped braces D to elevate the ladder with a direct thrust exerted thereon at a distance from its pivot and at one side thereof.

2. In an aerial ladder-truck, the combination with a truck-frame F, of a turntable T rotatably mounted thereon, side-frames K extending upwardly from the turntable, a horizontal shaft Z supported in said frames, a ladder L pivoted at its heel on'said shaft, V-shaped triangular braces D formed with divergent legs having their spaced apart ends secured to the sides of the ladder both at one side of the ivot of the ladder, stationary cylinders 8 secured to the top of the turntable, piston P slidably mounted in the cylinders, springs S in the cylinders for operating the istons, a cross rod M connectin the on s of the pistons, connectingrods connecting the cross-rod with the apexes of the V-shaped braces D, a rotatable screw W journaled in fixed bearings on the turntable, a nut W slidable on said screw, manually-operated means for rotating the screw, and links to connecting the nut W with the cross-rod M.

In testimon whereof I afiix m signature.

' CHAIKLES N. RICHA DSON.

" Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

